Gambit Office / KWK Promes

Architects: Robert Konieczny KWK Promes
Site Area: 3043.81 m²
Gross Covered Area: 714.84 m²
Usable Floor Area: 943.42 m²
Total Surface Area: 1285.21 m²
Storage Hall: 751 m²
Hall with Social Spaces: 156.4 m²
Office Spaces: 377.81 m²
Designed: 2013
Completed: 2024
Photography: Juliusz Sokołowski
Project Cooperation: Katarzyna Pająk, Karol Jackiewicz, Karol Knap, Krzysztof Kobiela
Interior Design: Robert Konieczny KWK Promes
Landscape Design: Robert Konieczny KWK Promes
Construction: Firma Inżynierska STATYK
Investor: Gambit Systems
City: Gliwice, Silesian Voivodeship
Country: Poland

Gambit Office industrial facility, designed by KWK Promes in Gliwice, has consolidated warehouse, workshop, and administrative functions into a unified structure shaped by material specificity and zoning constraints, completed in 2024. The architectural strategy visualizes the client’s core activity through forms reminiscent of stacked pipes, directly referencing the company’s identity. Local building codes influenced the roof geometry and building height, while the fragmented volumetric articulation responded to nearby residential morphology. Raw aluminum sheeting replaced the initially proposed pipe-based cladding due to regulatory limitations, offering durability and reduced maintenance. Passive lighting systems, non-intrusive detailing, and open access for bird nesting introduced environmental and operational efficiency. A rooftop terrace extends program utility by providing a rest space within an industrial site.

A “favorite” material, for me, is more associated with a certain tendency to use something against what I said earlier—“sneaking” a material in where it perhaps doesn’t entirely fit. To be honest, I don’t think I have a favorite material, since I’m able to apply different solutions in specific cases, guided primarily by the concept rather than personal preference—because that is exactly what, as I said before, I try to resist in my work.
What we always take care of, however, is that the material is as durable as possible, of good quality, and “honest”—so that it doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t.
Interview with Robert Konieczny of KWK Promes

KWK Promes was commissioned by Gambit Systems to design a combined office and warehouse building that would express the company’s specialization in pipe distribution while adhering to strict cost limitations. The design team initially proposed using the client’s core material, leveraging its availability and symbolic value to define the architectural form. The project aimed to create a single coherent volume where all functional zones are visually and structurally integrated. The site, formerly occupied by a rectangular production hall, is surrounded by residential houses with steeply pitched roofs and long cubic annexes. This surrounding context influenced the form of the new building, which was divided into three volumes corresponding to the internal program: an unheated storage hall, a central workshop area, and a two-story office section with sloped exterior walls.

The pipe stacking logic determined the pitch of the roof over the office area. Local zoning regulations defined a strict height limit, which led the architects to cut the office volume on the second floor. This reduction removed unnecessary mass and kept the profile compact. Toward Bojkowska Street, the project establishes a linear frontage, while the rear volumes step down and fragment, aligning with the scale of the surrounding residential buildings.

The design initially called for a façade made from the company’s piping material. However, further technical analysis revealed that these pipes, intended for underground installation, were susceptible to UV degradation and did not meet fire safety regulations. In response, the architects selected raw aluminum sheeting, a solution previously tested in projects such as OUTrial House, Unikato, and Konieczny’s Ark. This material provides long-term durability and forms a matte patina over time, visually resembling raw concrete. Its maintenance requirements are minimal, aligning with the architects’ commitment to reducing operational carbon emissions.

Edges of the pipe-inspired elements were capped to eliminate wind resonance. Bird protection nets, originally included in the plans, were ultimately omitted. The architects advocated for their removal, stating that the presence of birds could add environmental value. As they explained, “we began to convince the investors and in the end, we succeeded,” though it remains uncertain whether ecological or budgetary factors played the greater role.

Natural daylight enters the building through a combination of traditional vertical glazing and roof-mounted skylights. On the ground floor, office spaces are equipped with windows facing a planted garden area located within the parking zone. Storage and auxiliary spaces on the upper level receive light from skylights, allowing for flexible layouts along the perimeter walls. In response to the strictly industrial function of the site, a rooftop terrace was placed on the lowest volume of the structure. This open-air platform serves as a break area for employees, providing access to an exterior environment within the spatial constraints of the industrial program. The addition reinforces the architectural approach of balancing utility, ecology, and user well-being.